All About Me
As the author of three books, Mike’s passion is finding the little-known stories of history and bringing them to life. History in school is too often events and dates. Mike seeks to discover the people who lived those events and reveal why those individuals made the decisions they did. Ultimately, there are stories to be mined, and who doesn’t love a good story?
In his soon-to-be-released historical novel “1792: Escape To The Maroons,” Mike tells the little-known story of fugitive slaves who chose to struggle for survival in The Great Dismal Swamp in their determination to live free. The term Maroons delineates areas where escaped slaves fled and could not be recaptured. It’s estimated that over 2,000 survived deep in the swamp around the turn of that century.
His first book “Iva: The True Story of Tokyo Rose” describes the tragic life of Iva Toguri. Trapped in Japan during World War II, this Japanese American woman was forced to work for Radio Tokyo. Although she never participated in propaganda, the racial animus of post-war America led to her being falsely labeled as Tokyo Rose and prosecuted for treason. Through her incarceration and the ongoing discrimination heaped upon her, Iva never lost her courage and determination.
“War Angel: Korea 1950” was his second book that followed a reservist nurse thrust into the carnage of The Korean War. Serving as an operating room nurse in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, the real MASH and strength of a woman is revealed.
Mike resides with his family in the Pacific Northwest where they enjoy experiencing the outdoors.
My HP Books
In 1792, an escaped slave, raised and living as white, is discovered and forced to flee into the Great Dismal Swamp. Barely escaping a bounty hunter, a Maroons community of fugitive slaves rescues him. Over time, Nathanial comes to accept his true identity while fighting to overcome the suspicions of his new community. Because of his pale skin, he becomes a conductor on the underground railroad, slipping runners onto ships going north. On one of his missions, fate intervenes and places Nathanials’s community at risk.
This little-known chapter in American history tells how escaped enslaved people gave their all to live free while creating a community and economy in one of the world’s most unforgiving environments.
"The story of those who sought refuge in the Dismal Swamp seldom has been dramatized in such an engaging way that allows the reader a glimpse into the hearts and minds of those who risked everything to be free. Weedall leaves you wanting more." -- Dr. Cassandra Newby Alexander, Author of "Virginia Waterways and The Underground Railroad" and Director for African Diaspora Studies at Norfolk State University
"This book paints the story of the actual conditions and challenges residents of the Maroons faced in their determination to live free." -- Prof. Tim Lockley, Author of "Maroon Communities In South Carolina" and Head of History Department at the University of Warwick, England
